Donating is not consenting to texts. Whether the gift came through ActBlue, WinRed, or your own page, the question is the same: did the form clearly ask for text consent, and did the donor affirmatively agree? If yes, you can text them. If the opt-in wasn't there, the donation didn't come with texting permission.
Check the form, not the gift
Many fundraising forms include a text-consent checkbox, sometimes pre-checked, sometimes not, with specific disclosure language. Your right to text a donor depends on that checkbox and its wording, not on the fact that money changed hands. Know what your form actually captured.
Two-thirds of voters agree
Consumer research is blunt: donating to a candidate is not seen as consent to that candidate's texts, by a two-thirds margin. Voters know what they signed up for, and a fundraising text to a donor who didn't opt in reads, to them and to the carriers, as spam.
Frequently asked questions
Can I text everyone who donated to my campaign?
Only those whose donation form captured text consent with proper disclosure and who agreed. A donation by itself is not a texting opt-in.
Does ActBlue or WinRed give me text consent automatically?
No. Consent depends on whether the specific form included a clear text-opt-in and the donor checked it. Confirm what your form captured before texting donors.
Informational, not legal advice.
Keep reading: Voting isn't consent, neither is donating and The call to action: what a compliant opt-in looks like.